


Darkest Death

by AMaskOnTwoFaces



Series: A Mask On One Shots [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Apocalypse, Avengers and Loki technically appear, But are never even referred to by name, Gen, Master of Death Harry Potter, Multiverse, One Shot, Plot Bunny turned One Shot, Post-Apocalypse, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25918345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMaskOnTwoFaces/pseuds/AMaskOnTwoFaces
Summary: Here the sky is murky; a miasma of poisonous colors preparing to drop an acidic rain.Here, in the ruins, death walks.
Series: A Mask On One Shots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866877
Comments: 4
Kudos: 100





	Darkest Death

**Author's Note:**

> Another plot bunny that I've cleaned up. I'm not 100% behind parts of it, but also don't feel like spending more time on it, so...
> 
> I accept concrit, so if you have any ideas for how I might be able to edit this better (especially the middle third), I would love to hear it!
> 
> Anyways, I don't remember why the title is the way it is. I probably just pulled something out of the air when I was originally saving the doc to my google drive all those years ago. Honestly might change the title, because I don't like how oppressive and heavy it sounds.
> 
> School starting is being crazy, so if I don't post anything else for another month, that's why.

**_A Preamble:_ **

The dull, lifeless grey of the stones surround him. 

His shoes echo a lonely song in the abandoned halls. 

The musty scent of decaying leaves and thick dust permeates the grounds in a cloying stench, not quite covering the sharp tang of blood that will forever be associated with this castle. 

Hogwarts has been abandoned.

War has come and gone and come again. The victory in his youth at this very school has been long overshadowed by the now decade-long war; a war against the muggles. 

The war is terrifying, absolute, and unwinnable. There will be no victor. There may not even be any survivors, as the fear and anger between both sides is so strong.

Both wizard and muggle alike have destroyed whole countries in their battles. Wastelands abound everywhere, and even the scavengers left behind are quick to kill any opposition they happen across.

Here the sky is murky; a miasma of poisonous colors preparing to drop an acidic rain.

Here, in the ruins, death walks.

As the rest of humanity kills itself, so, too, dies the planet:

Forests and fields alike refuse to grow, starving those not yet killed by their brethren. 

The bodies of the sea float ashore, filling the air with the noxious fumes of rot at every turn. 

The towers of metal and glass shatter and rust, spines remaining as jagged spires towards a sun that hasn’t been spied in years.

Without life, there can be nothing passing on.

Bored, death steps through his old veil, hoping for something… livelier to visit.

He falls, and falls, and falls. 

He steps into one portal, and falls out another.

  
  


**_An Arrival:_ **

Harry has just arrived, and he already disapproves.

This place certainly is livelier, but there’s still so much  _ slaughter _ . 

Will humans never learn? Will they never live without causing so much needless death? 

In this instance at least, they do seem more defensive than aggressive, as the enemy are invaders; decidedly not human, and decidedly  _ not of this world _ . Still, he’d prefer if there was less death; he’s already had his fill for a couple of centuries, thank you.

Harry lets himself lie where he landed for a couple minutes, orienting himself to the conflict around him and debating a course of action. 

It’s easy to locate the source of the invaders as the portal in the sky above him, presumably the same portal that he himself came through. It’s similarly easy to locate the source of the portal as the glowing sky beam coming from the machine next to him on this rooftop.

He forces himself to move, rolling to his feet and approaching the glowing portal device. The ward around it is easy to pass through, and from there he can feel the device and the shut-off switch built into its magic. A key is needed, and he reaches his senses out to identify the aura of a device that would fit into this one.

Of course, the key is in the hands of the other side, specifically the one who looks like the leader. This leader is the only one on that side who resembles a human, though he, too, has the feeling of someone other-worldly.

Harry sighs.

If he uses magic to just snag the key, he risks exposing his powers to the humans. Though... it looks like witchcraft is already a decently large part of this conflict. Perhaps he could insert himself as a more benevolent magic user, and give the idea a better light?

He shrugs. It’s worth a shot.

  
  


**_A Conversation:_ **

“Who are you?”

“Me?” he chuckles, “I am death.”

They become even more battle-ready as they surround him.

He smiles. It is sharp, but humored at their actions; they cannot hurt him.

Voices overlap:

“What do you want?”

“Why did you help us?”

“Why did you close the portal?”

His head tilts, smile growing bitter.

“The answer to all is the same: I want an end to senseless killings.”

They become still in their confusion.

“But wouldn’t someone claiming to be ‘death’ want people to die?”

His head shakes, just once.

“Death comes to all in time; there is no need to rush it along.” Their attention is rapt. “I come from a world where all had been killed too quickly. Without life, there can be no death. Without death, there can be no life. There is a balance to all things.”

“So you’re not from Earth.”

“I’m from  _ an  _ Earth, just as I suspect this is another. I walked into a portal on mine, and I believe I fell out of that portal onto yours.” He jutted his chin to motion to the sky above.

“And what now?”

“Now? Now, I will visit those who need visiting. Now, I will help end the needless violence like I should have on my own world; like I did here. Now, I will enjoy the life your Earth has to offer, as I have witnessed enough death on my own to last me centuries.”

With that, he disapperated, drawing the cloak around him as he did so. 

While death is boring without life, it does not mean that he will ever have the patience to interact with such lively creatures ever again. Outside of the times where they cross the divide, these beings are just too…  _ alive _ . His time identifying himself as one of the living has long since ceased; he is the specter, weaving through the crowds, bringing chills to all who can see just a little  _ too  _ far on the wrong side of the veil.

Death is the invisible hand: unseen and unnoted, but felt when it draws near.


End file.
